The latest coffee table book written by Palm Beach native Jennifer Ash Rudick and photographed by Nick Mele, Palm Beach Living, delves into the stories and insights behind the area’s distinctly designed residences and gardens. Below, Rudick reveals book details that will leave readers with home envy.
The inspiration. An intuitive desire to understand the way people live has always been behind my interest in homes. If a house is a portrait that provides insights into the tastes, penchants and idiosyncrasies of its inhabitants, then a collection of houses speaks to the social patterns of a town. Palm Beach residences create a narrative of a slightly eccentric and unfailingly philanthropic population influenced by the natural beauty of the subtropical surroundings.
Book surprises. Palm Beach isn’t all estates filled with gilded furniture, and the book reflects the varied ways of life, including not only mansions and landmarked homes but also apartments, cottages and new builds. There is a 4,000-acre working ranch west of town that’s thick with gnarled live oaks, cabbage palms and cypresses, and it’s a delightfully individualistic take on country life and a satisfying contrast to the couple’s more formal home in Palm Beach.
Importance of tapping photographer Nick Mele. Nick deserves the moniker “a modern-day Slim Aarons” for his breathtaking portraits, and the book’s photographs demonstrate his innate understanding of interiors and distinct eye for composition and detail.
